Social media marketing is now mainstream and as someone said: every media becoming social. I think some brands and their attitudes to social media, content marketing, management. It’s clear from every angle, except from view, that many brands are overlooking the “social” in front of the social media. This is what sets social media apart from other types of media. To excel in social media, you begin with cultivating a cultural media mindset. Most have not understood what this platform offers.
All that we are doing is majorly titled toward social media abuse which is founded on advertising and shameless ego promotion. This affects corporate brands more though.
Most have concentrated mainly on mainstream traditional media. They’ve neglected or can we say they are unaware that the only way to survive in now is really a two-way communication media which embraces not only the standard but online media platform. As we know, the present trend today is for brands to first find out about their brides-customers, manage to get thier attention through the use of social media platforms like blogging, Youtube, Xing, Facebook, Del.ici.ous, Bookmarking, RSS, Podcasting, videocasting, Wikis among a number of other available online media.
The evolution of these new media has exposed opportunity to get opinion, interact, court, date and offers irresistible proposal which will hook the bride. Today customers are no longer buying one mode fits all offer by the standard media. Some corporate brands here seem to hinge non-participation in online community building on such excuses that we are not even online, neither exist recognized consumer fora which have major convergence of consumers online. Also no regulatory authority here pays attention to or gives any attention to whatever they’ve to say can. Additionally they claim that online forums here have no impacts on corporate performance. Some also claim that social media is alien to us. My answer is that social media is not alien. The fact remains that many things have been part people only that we do not accurately labeled them before westerners help us out.
The notion of social media, content marketing is rooted in cultural rituals where a couple gets engaged before they might start dating. The method require that suitor’s intention must be established through family contacts, integrity checked and a cogent promised is created he is enthusiastic about a serous relationship and not flings. Without these background checks, nobody officially allows the intending couple to begin dating. If this really is violated then, the bride to be would be disciplined.
Drawing a simultaneous in this ancient ritual, the customers want the brand today to show that what matters is her, not money making. The customers desire to be sure out of arrays of suitors-products, services- your brand usually takes the initiative of starting a conversation, the client wants to be sure your brand is not only flirting, looking out for short flings but a real relationship which will enhance her lifestyle. Brand through social media, content and social marketing setup a bate by loading the right words inside their contents to convince, educate, entertain the bride they are out to produce her life better even before selling anything.
Customer desires to see just how much of one’s intellectual property is likely to be made available without charges. The customer wants to find out you are a giver. Among their love languages is gift sharing. A giver without string attached always takes the show. Social media marketing, content marketing requires plenty of commitment. It does take time before social media and content marketing make huge impact. Any brand that can show higher level of commitment in social media will always carry the day.
Typical case studies of brands with efficient utilization of social media include Tony Hseih. Tony followers in Twitter today is over one forty million. Hseih could be the managing Director of Zappos.com. Tony through his ‘tweet’ has course to generally meet with customers at a club while many in his position will rather hide beneath the guise of busy schedule. Tony uses Twitter to build interaction with customers; he uses twitter to fix problems for clients. The potency of Tony Hseih and Zappos communities has been used to strengthen relationships with Zappo’s brand offline. Zappos client freely gives their ideas on which they want. This aids, leads to co- creation of brands products, services.
As busy as Richard Branson of Virgin group is, he also maintains a twitter account. He has used his twitter account to answer questions from angry customers along with virgin potentials. The virgin group also has an integrated website that enables news update, blog among others. Southwest Airlines has used social media to build strong connection that impacts on the brand’s offline interaction
A good example of the use of social media to spread messages and connection was recently demonstrated by Michael Jackson’s personal doctor. As we are all aware, it had been once insinuated he killed Michael Jackson through drug overdose. About yesterday, he used YouTube video to spread his area of the case. This video spread across the net along with mainstream media. Popularity of virtual community has been soaring high with an increase of people paying attention from academics and marketing communications practitioner discussing it beforehand countries, yet Nigeria brands have assumed ‘I do not care attitude’ ;.Nations and brands are not considered backward just because of their location but centered on attitudes, disposition to the use of technology which will aid progress. Building emotional connection, loyalty with the brand is becoming a simple thing through social media.
Social media marketing has become a great platform to recognize with, interact, communicate brand element. This often starts in online forum and lead to offline beneficial relationship. Today, nearly three billion of the seven billion potentials are now connected in social media platforms. Agreed the ratio remains slow here but the quantity is increasing daily. Through social media brands can ignite confidence in the hearts of the bride, build thought leadership. Your brand competitors could have better product, services but will really lose out for your requirements if you can build strong connection together when you question them to buy through massive advertisement.
If your brand can share enough information, answers to concerns and prove that you’re on the verge of seriously neglecting your own personal best interest, of tight schedules, in order to serve these greedy, needy brides that desire your brands become more open, honest together that will be the essence of social media. Social media marketing do not allow cover ups, unnecessary protection of corporate brand’s failures. I am of the opinion that if our banking industry’s Managing Directors have been active in social media, there’s probability of gaining public sympathy instead of the anger, tantrum they are now receiving from various angles. Their followers would have been able to protect them and take appropriate position that could have given them soft landing in this trying period.
Since our brands have concentrated on a single type of media, mainstream, tell me why should their brides not filter their useless bragging through advertising? Tell me why is it problematic for brands n our environment to see handwriting on the wall that their brides now desire their authentic voices which are not coloured with jargons of self- serving moneybags? The brands’ brides are now also afraid; skeptical of marketing. Why should the brides be loyal when the component of trust is shaking?
Having established that let’s now examine proper way of participating in social media that will be now being exchanged for web.2.0. For brands to acheter des followers actively be involved in social media, brands need to observe, listen, find clients’ hibernating medium. In carrying this out, brand should first define its social media strategy through careful evaluation of brand’s resources, analyze the target market, and identify objectives. Having done this, brand must carefully pick or access platforms that fit their goals. This can inform the decision to operate a web log or just to be involved in other forums like Twitter, Facebook, discussion board, social media bookmarking, stumbleupon among others. Make sure you know that such platforms are employed by your niche audience. Identify the most effective influencers of one’s industry online through recognitions given with their opinions, comments, awards etc.
To achieve this effectively, brand may consider creating the career of community or social media/knowledge management manager or hire consultant who has track records in skills like community management, online reputation management, monitoring, tracking, podcast, video cast, web links etc. These skills do not demand a programmer’s knowledge and in actual fact, they are employed by customer relations, brand, and Public relations experts. The sole requirement is passion that’s backed with proven results. The said manger or consultant must also understands forum rules, reputation software, understand how to distribute contents without creating offense as this might be counter productive. Great ability to generate qualitative content for blogs, create profiles and claim such blogs in online directories can also be essential. Social media marketing, content marketing, management sometimes appears as number of open-sourced, interactive and user- controlled online application used to expand the experiences, knowledge and market power of the users as participants running a business and social processes, the social media landscape is simply about conversation before any marketing campaign.
Brands must therefore consider Rajesh Setty’s suggestion so it must demonstrate your brand cares, is curious to find out what is the concern of the customers, contribute, make certain this content may be worth their attention, clarify issues, build conversation which will lead to strong relationship, generate plenty of creativity, demonstrate the brand’s character and values cherished, build community, tribe, brings change, instill courage and be highly commitment to a cause its believe in.
Let me conclude this piece by highlighting how brand can start be involved in social media and content marketing. Content marketing is an art of understanding what your customers’ want, need to find out and the science of delivering it for them in a helpful and compelling way. The information must be engaging in a helpful and compelling way. To start, the brand has to build trust and credibility. This really is huge work. This becomes easy if your brand can take the time to pay attention to customers first. By that brand discovers their problems and this content is therefore tailored to provide solution.
Avoid talking a lot of about your brand or your expertise as much as I really do know the fact your brand need to determine the line your brand may be worth their attentions. This will make your brand’s efforts become suspect. Your visitors want educational content without initial marketing spin. The information also must be compelling, entertaining to earn the scarcest entity on the wed- time/patience. Great content must guides, clarifies, enlightened and connect. The language of this content has to stay tune together with your industry. Contents that solve problems drive traffic and increases sale rate.
